Yulee's Derrick Henry is the All-First Coast offensive player of the year.

Daniel McMillian was living up to the history at First Coast. Derrick Henry was making it at Yulee.

Together, the Times-Union’s defensive and offensive players of the year, respectively, were connected by more than just their year-ending honors and scholarships to SEC programs that will have the players moving their friendly rivalry from Fridays to Saturdays.

Their similar commanding presences made them two of the biggest draws on the First Coast.

In an area with more flush with college-bound talent than ever before, everyone wanted to see Henry and McMillian play. And when they did, especially head-to-head the past two seasons, people took notice.

Especially Henry and McMillian. Each player speaks about the other in high regard, doling out compliments, yet also welcoming the challenge that the other offered. Both were Times-Union Super 11 and Super 24 selections. Both are U.S. Army All-American picks.

“Daniel’s a really good player,” Henry said of the Buccaneers linebacker and Florida commit.

“I had said during an NBC interview when I was in New York that he was one of the most underrated guys at his position [in the country]. I think he’s a great player, he runs the ball well, he can cover very well for a linebacker. I think he’s a great player.”

It was special to McMillian to be involved in football at First Coast, regardless of the opponent he was facing.

For years, he’s watched the steady flow of players coming out of the program and going on to major college football. To even be able to crack the starting lineup with the Buccaneers meant that he was on track for something big.

“The tradition of being a First Coast linebacker, it was big. I wanted to live up to it,” said McMillian, who had 116 tackles, 12 for loss, seven sacks and four interceptions for 10-1 First Coast.

“I played hard, played my butt off and wanted to be the best that I could. Guys like [former First Coast players] Ryan Stamper, Nigel Carr, Shaq Wilson, especially, I looked up to them. Just putting on the jersey means that you’re good. Not just anyone can make the First Coast football team.”

Henry, an Alabama commit, also knew quite a bit about the First Coast football team.

Yulee’s coach, Bobby Ramsay, was an assistant with the Buccaneers before being hired by the Hornets, and the program already had quite a tradition on the defensive side of the ball by the time Henry got to high school. And he knew that every time he faced the Buccaneers, Henry would have to fight for every inch that he got.

“They were a tough team,” said Henry, who rushed for a state-record 4,261 yards this season and won the Mr. Football award. “Daniel was a big part of that team.”

First Coast was the only program that could hold down Henry, if there was such a thing. The Buccaneers limited Henry to 103 yards on 31 carries on Oct. 14, 2011, in a 36-16 win, the lowest rushing total of his career. Henry holds the national record with 47 consecutive games over 100 yards. First Coast allowed 196 yards to Henry this season, a 37-23 Buccaneers win.

In Henry's other 45 games, he averaged 262.7 ypg. Against First Coast, he averaged 149.5.

“People have told me those games, they came to see because of Daniel and Derrick,” said First Coast coach Marty Lee. “When they collided it was something. You had two future SEC players going right at it. It was special.”

The only difference now is that they'll get to do it in front of a much bigger audience each week.

“I'm so ready, I think we're both ready,” McMillian said of Henry. “It's going to be crazy playing there [at Florida]. My work ethic is crazy, I stay hungry to get better.”